Favourite XI

Fictitious and All-time XI’s have been a common thread throughout the Internet. But has anyone thought about listing his or her favourite XI. Throughout my cricket watching career I have had the opportunity to see many players ply their trade and whilst some have been average, and some downright bad there have also been quite a few who have caught my eye and quickly become a favourite.

Well, here is my favourite XI. Quite a few Australia’s but also a few internationals to spice up the mix. Also, this is obviously not a best off so please no “why did you leave out X, or Y should be in the team” J

The Master Blaster. As a child of the eighties I used to hate how Viv could carve up any attack whenever the mood took him. He was arrogance, menace and power all rolled into one. With the benefit of hindsight and maturity I cannot help but recognise him as a supreme talent who ruined more than a few bowling averages.

My Dad used to dislike Geoff with a passion since he was ‘so damned slow’ but when you have someone like Viv at the other end then you need someone as an anchor when the prior goes out early in a blaze of glory. He doesn’t have the highest average, nor was he the most spectacular but he was as solid as a rock.

3) – David C Boon – Australia (107 tests @ 43.66; 181 ODI’s @ 37.04)

Boonie - an Australian legend and the focus of a small but persistent campaign to have him as Australia’s first President! Boon was the ideal number three even though he had a habit of being run out when walking (rather than running) a single. He gave hope to many a test match when Australia was 5 down for not many. You knew that as long as Boon was at the crease that we still had a chance.

What do you do when someone breaks your test innings record of 375? You get it back by scoring 400. Brian Lara has been the foundation of West Indian cricket since the retirement of Walsh, Ambrose, Richie Richardson etc. Whilst not the best captain he has most certainly been their best batsman in nearly a decade. Flashy, aggressive and capable of making big scores, he has long been a favourite of mine.

5) – Dean M Jones – Australia (52 tests @ 46.55; 161 ODI’s @ 44.62)

Many say that the likes of Rhodes, Afridi or Bevan were the first of the modern type of limited international players. I have to disagree. Jones perfected the art of cheeky singles, amazing run outs and unorthodox shot selection when the above were still playing grade cricket. His battles with the likes of Ambrose have become legend and so has his 216 in the test match against India where he quite literally almost played himself to death in an effort to force a draw. Go Deanno!

Considering Pakistan’s poor performance in the final, Lance came very close to winning the 1999 World Cup for South Africa with a frighteningly powerful display on hitting during the final overs of the semi-final. I had to feel sorry for Damien Fleming as every ball that left his hand was despatched to the fence at a rapid pace. His flat four to the long on boundary was hit so hard it punched through Reiffel’s hands despite Paul being in a good position to take the catch. Capable of batting anywhere in the order he is most lethal at 6 or 7 when facing the part timers who often cringe when they know they are facing ‘Zulu’

Have a look at the scorecard of any team which played Australia during the eighties and you will quite often see a batsman’s mode of dismissal as being c: Marsh b: Lillee. Whilst Lillee was one the greatest bowlers to pick up the leather ball his effectiveness was partially due to having a determined and talented wicketkeeper at the other end. Rodney was one of the first wicketkeepers who contribute effectively with the bat and gave rise to the current crop of wicketkeeper batsman. Probably also the only player to light up a cigarette during a test match whilst leaving the ground after a days play!

Anything I say about Wasim will sell him short. He is one of true greats of the game. I may be exceeding my bounds but I believe him to be the left-arm fast equivalent of Donald Bradman. He holds the world record for the most number of ODI dismissals at 502 and is one of a select few to have joined the 400-test wicket fraternity. Arguable the best left armed pace bowler to ever set foot on a cricket pitch. Certainly not bad for a person who was a diabetic!

“Runs like a pelican, turns like a battleship”, “Big heart, bigger guts”. Many words have been written about big Merv’s athleticism but irrespective of a constantly losing battle with his weight he was still an excellent cricketer who gave his all in an effort to ensure Australia vanquished all before them. A clown, a larakin, a very heavy drinker and possessor of more facial hair since W.G. Grace, Merv was a legend!

I wasn’t the only one who went “Peter Who?” when Peter Taylors test selection was announced in 1987. Mark Taylor had been making a fist full of runs in Australia’s domestic competition and everyone was expecting him to receive his call up for the series versus England. Instead a totally unknown off spinner got the nod instead. Despite the controversy Peter did very well indeed. Many a spinner can get more turn, more flight or more drift but none had the heart and determination of Peter. That, coupled with a bowling style which looked like a man trying to change a tyre on a moving tyre, made him someone who I had plenty of time for.

Probably the most dangerous and menacing fast bowler to ever take the field. Whilst lacking the outright pace of the likes of Thomson etc he more than made up with pinpoint accuracy, steppling bounce and an extremely competitive attitude. As with Viv I used to dislike Curtly with a passion as he knocked over more than one Australian batting line-up. However, talent must be recognised regardless of who they are. So Curtly gets my nod and round of my favourite XI.

Gavaskar - For the sense of pride that we felt for the first time as India fans

Zaheer Abbas - For the sheer frustration and the grudging admiration that he drew from us everytime he played India. The one Pakistani we wished was an Indian.

Dexter - For the unforgettable experience of watching him bat oh so majestically in the nets. 'The ball says I am hit'

Vishwanath - For the sheer magic of his effortless strokeplay. I can never , ever, forget his going forward in defense ( I swear thats what it was visually) to McKenzie at the Feroze Shah Kotla in Delhi on a cool winter afternoon in 1969 and for the ball to scream to the cover fence ! It was only his second test and we felt, like , WOW !!!

Sobers - For the sheer awe and sense of history one felt by just being at the ground on a day when he was playing even though it was not in an international game.

Imran Khan - For showing what the term 'unplayable' bowling was meant to be used for. The only time in 43 years of watching cricket that I have felt so.

Alan Knott - For being the most restless and effervescent presence on the field I have ever seen with his contagious nervous energy. There was electricity in the air when Knott was in the act batting or keeping.

Richard Hadlee - For showing how you could bowl at frightening pace with what looked like a spinners effort. He just glided in on well oiled limbs that seemed to have been programmed . I was always amazed that the ball behaved differently each time from a run up and an action that seemed so amazingly identical every time. But the ball talked and it spoke differnt languages everytime !

Wesley Hall - For the immense sense of power that he seemed to exude as he ran in. It scared you just looking at him running in but it was almost as smooth as Holdings running in, just looked somehoe devastatingly powerful, inspite of the smoothness.

Bishan Bedi - For providing the most beautiful sight I have ever seen on a sports field (other than synchronised gymnastics and skating to music). If ever the terms 'poetry in motion ' could be applied to a cricketer, it had to be Bedi during his entire bowling action. Playing against him (when he played for State Bank of India) was at the same time an education, a revelation and a privilege.

Erapalli Prasanna - For being the greatest master of the flight of the cricket ball. The ball seemed to stop in mid air and drop vertically downwards even as the batsman lunged for the half volley.

Richard Headley - For showing how you could bowl at frightening pace with what looked like a spinners effort. He just glided in on well oiled limbs that seemed to have been programmed . I was always amazed that the ball behaved differently each time from a run up and an action that seemed so amazingly identical every time. But the ball talked and it spoke differnt languages everytime !

I agree. I can remember Bradman once saying that Hadlee was the only bowler who would have caused him a few anxious moments had Hadlee been playing in the 30's/40's.

I can remember him at the Allan Border tribute match, still batting with the effortless abandon that he had. Sadly his bowling lacked the zip but it was still good to see him having a go after illness put an early end to his career.

[B]Richard Headley - For showing how you could bowl at frightening pace with what looked like a spinners effort. He just glided in on well oiled limbs that seemed to have been programmed . I was always amazed that the ball behaved differently each time from a run up and an action that seemed so amazingly identical every time. But the ball talked and it spoke differnt languages everytime !
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Richie Benaud once said that he believed that Hadlee was so good that he could put a coin anywhere on a pitch & hit the coin nearly everytime.

In my time watching the game Ambrose, Hadlee and McGrath have been three of the most accurate bowlers I have seen. I think a coin may be overdoing it but I believe if you put a 10cm x 10cm square in the pitch they could probably get the ball to bounce in it every delivery.

I can recall Warne's 12 wicket haul against South Africa at the SCG in January 94. He kept targetting the same 15cm x 15cm patch of rough outside the off-stump and time after time drew batsman into a drive which instead went off the edge into Mark Taylors more than capable hands.

That sort of bowling is mesmerising and you could tell the Saffie's batsmen getting more and more impatient to the point where Warne forced them into playing a rash shot.